Middlesbrough. It seems to me it’s a scourge for the streets for decent people to have drug dealing going on around them.

“I’m sure those people welcome efforts to clean up the area.

“The message has got to go out that anyone who is involved in drugs supply will go to prison immediately.”

But he warned that larger dealers still hid behind a “veil of fear”.

He sentenced a string of street dealers - among 27 arrested in the police operations “Morocco” and “Clean Street”.

He locked up the five, all from Middlesbrough, one at a time at Teesside Crown Court yesterday.

He resisted pleas for suspended sentences and warned two of the men that they faced a minimum sentence of seven years if they were caught dealing again.

Prosecutor David Crook said Operation Morocco was targeted at disrupting Class A drugs supply in the Gresham area.

The five men admitted drugs supply charges after they were caught making exchanges of wraps between November last year and January this year.

Kayne Armes, 22, of Wilton Street, was given the longest prison sentence of four years and three months.

He admitted three counts of supplying heroin, as well as possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply and being concerned in the heroin supply.

He had a bag containing 9.74g of heroin, worth almost £500, in the bed where he slept at a home raided by police on Costa Street on December 10 last year.

He also had 1.51g of crack cocaine in his drugs stash.

Days after he was given police bail, he was repeatedly caught dealing on the streets.

He was on licence for burglary and had a previous conviction for possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply aged 16 or 17.

Andrew Teate, defending, said Armes had difficulties with debt.

Judge Bowers said pressure to pay off suppliers was a common explanation for dealing.

He added: “It’s not an excuse and those dealers still walk free because of this veil of fear that seems to shroud all those who are involved in the dock. Until somebody stands up to them I’m afraid it’s going to continue.”

Gary Bilton, 37, and runners Andrew Hardman, 41, and Christian McNeill, 34, all of Enfield Street, also appeared in the dock.

Bilton admitted he was dealing for money, partly to buy a pram as his partner was pregnant.

He received the next highest sentence of three years for his six heroin supplies, despite his noted desperation and depression.

Hardman was jailed for two-and-a-half years for four supplies of heroin and possession of crack cocaine. He received 529 phone calls and hid wraps in his mouth.

McNeill was locked up for two years and three months for one heroin supply. He was caught with almost ï¿½300 cash on him.

The judge said McNeill had an “amazing opportunity” when he was given a suspended sentence for possessing heroin with intent to supply in 2011.

Paul Hatton, 34, of Derby Avenue, Whinney Banks, was jailed for two years for six supply counts - five heroin, one crack cocaine.

The dad hid drug wraps in his private parts and was recommended as someone who had “good quality gear”.

Defence barristers said the men were users who dealt drugs to fund their own habits. Some had lost jobs and fallen on hard times.

“You’ve gone downhill very badly and this, I’m afraid, is the lowest ebb. I can’t let you walk free from court.”

Officers targeted 20 addresses in the Gresham area and made 19 arrests as part of Operation Clean Street earlier this year. Two dealers caught in the operations were previously jailed for three years and 21 months respectively. Eight more are awaiting sentence.